GMA News and Public Affairs
GMA News and Public Affairs (commonly GMA News; formerly RBS News Department, GMA Radio-Television News and GMA Rainbow Satellite News) is the news and public affairs programming division of the multimedia conglomerate, GMA Network, Inc. It produces news and infotainment programs for all GMA Network and GMA News TV owned and affiliated television and radio stations in the Philippines, and internationally through GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV. GMA News and Public Affairs is currently headed by Marissa Flores. It is headquartered at the Ground Floor of GMA Network Center in Quezon City. History News division The GMA News division traces its origin from the Republic Broadcasting System, established by Robert Stewart in 1959. Programming of its radio station, DZBB depended on mostly on news reports. The station covered the eruption of Mt. Hibok-Hibok in 1951, and the election and death of former President Ramon Magsaysay. While RBS Channel 7 was established in 1961, it was in 1970s that GMA became one of the most-watched television news source in the country. In 1983, Channel 7 was the first to break the news of Ninoy Aquino's death, and later would be the only television station to broadcast his funeral. The channel also became the first station to broadcast the Ramos-Enrile break-away that led to the People Power Revolt. In 1998, GMA teamed up with the Philippine Daily Inquirer to produce election coverage. Its flagship newscast, Saksi, won the 1999 Asian Television Awards and 2002 New York Festival awards for Best Newscast. In 2006, GMA News was praised by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for its news coverage, and said that it was the reason for the network's high ratings. In the 2006 SWS Media Trust survey, GMA News garnered 60% of public trust, second only to rival ABS-CBN with 68%. But a similar Pulse Asia survey shows that GMA News is the more credible in the country and to key demographics. GMA News became a pioneer in local television news in many ways. GMA was one of the pioneers of women in broadcast journalism. Tina Monzon-Palma was one of the first women co-anchors when she first presented News at Seven, one of the most-watched news programs in the 1970s and . Helen Vela was the first woman to anchor news in Tagalog for GMA Balita, and Mel Tiangco was the first late-night solo anchor for Frontpage. GMA was the first to broadcast an hourly news program, GMA News Live which is known today as the GMA Flash Report, and the first station to use a ticker for breaking news and traffic information. GMA News was also the first to use Electronic News Gathering Vans in the country in 1995. In 2004, it regularly began to use Satellite News Gathering facilities to reach more remote areas. It also covered major events in the country, such as the 1995 World Youth Day, 2003 World Meeting of Families, and 2000 Today. In celebration of the 50th Anniversary, GMA aired Limang Dekada: The GMA News 50th Anniversary Special on January 10, 2010 on GMA and January 31, 2010 on Q. Public Affairs division GMA’s Public Affairs division was established in 1987Dimaculangan, Jocelyn (October 23, 2007). GMA Public Affairs celebrates 20 years of public service on October 28. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved on October 23, 2007. when Tina Monzon-Palma, then head of GMA News recognized that a 30 minute newscast was not adequate and sufficient to inform the general Filipino public on what is happening to the recently established Aquino government after the historic People Power RevolutionAbueva, Jose (February 22, 1999). People's Perception of People Power. Center for Southeast Asian Studies Northern Illinois University. Retrieved on February 22, 2003 in February 1986.Montalvan, Antonio II (March 10, 2008). Kris-Crossing Mindanao: People Power Paradies. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved on March 10. It started with five news personnel including Marissa La Torre Flores (now handles GMA News and Public Affairs as senior vice president) and held office inside the cameramen’s locker room before moving into the state-of-the-art GMA Network Center with no experience, equipment, camera and an improvised set broadcasting at the old GMA building in Edsa with only a passion to work attitude. Now with more than 500 news personnel—here and abroad—and producing 16 of the most awarded programs on Philippine television today. The public affairs program Weekend with Velez was the first network-produced program on GMA, afterward renamed to Velez This Week and was hosted by Jose Mari Velez. Later that year it was joined with other public affairs shows such as Firing Line with Teddy Benigno (later on hosted by Oscar Orbos); View Point with Dong Puno; Straight from the Shoulder hosted by Louie Beltran and The Probe Team by Che-Che Lazaro and Issues and Answers hosted by Art Borjal. From a makeshift and improvised set, the once GMA News garnered several honors and recognitions from local and international award-giving bodies, including two gold medals in the New York Festivals and their first Peabody Award in 1999,2008 George Foster Peabody Awards Honors Broadcasting Excellence (2003). Retrieved on 2003. one of the most distinguished merit in the broadcast industry, the only one awarded to an Asian country. The first Peabody was given for Kidney for Sale, an investigative work on the selling of kidneys in a depressed area along the coast of Manila Bay. The award also recognizes Marissa Flores as the executive producer and a team of producers, writers, directors and reporters, as well as Jessica Soho, Michelle Seva-Recto, Jay Taruc, Leogarda Sanchez and Rowel Cornejo, Melchor Quintos and Gregg Gonzales. When longest-running noontime show Eat Bulaga! celebrated its silver anniversary in 2004, Public Affairs co-produced Eat Bulaga history with noontime show's production company Television and Production Exponents, Inc. or TAPE, Inc., because one of News and Public Affairs personalities Mr. Arnold Clavio was a contestant in a former segment of noontime show. He hosted it and was co-hosted by his Unang Hirit co-host, Ms. Rhea Santos. Coinciding with its 20th anniversary in broadcasting excellence, GMA News and Public Affairs aired a documentary entitled 20: Dalawampung Taon ng GMA Public Affairs (20: Twenty Years of GMA Public Affairs) on October 28, 2007.GMANews.TV (October 4, 2007). 20 years of GMA Public Affairs: The humble beginnings. 2007. Media Merge Corp. Retrieved on 2007. The Public Affairs division of GMA is now headed by Nessa Valdellon as Vice President for Public Affairs. In 2010, The I-Witness win the George peabody award. The show is the documentary of Kara David. Accolades On December 9, 2003 the Philippine House of Representatives’ 12th Congress commended GMA News and Public Affairs through Resolution 787House Resolution 787, Philippine House of Representative 12th Congress (December 9, 2003). Retrieved on 2003-12-09. authored by Rep. Rodolfo Plaza for its efforts in uplifting the standards of the Philippine broadcast industry by receiving the first Peabody Award gold medal for television news awarded to an Asian country in 1999.Peabody Awards (1999). Retrieved on 2003. Programs Currently aired GMA shows References Category:GMA News and Public Affairs